Thinking about homeschooling your kids? I have been homeschooling mine for years, and it has shaped our family in so many wonderful ways. My kids have learned to read, advanced in math, and explored the world alongside our lessons. I have learned to create a flexible routine that works for our family. There are so many good reasons to homeschool kids, and today I am sharing my top six. If you are weighing this decision for your own family, I hope our experience helps.
1. Flexibility
One of the best reasons to homeschool is the flexibility. My kids finish their core subjects in the morning, then have the afternoon free for activities. As a rule, they work on math, language arts, spelling, and handwriting from 9:30 to noon. After lunch we have quiet reading, then a science or history lesson. My kids have also done gymnastics, soccer, and piano. And because we love to travel, homeschooling lets us bring our workbooks almost anywhere. We can keep up our flexible routine on the go.
2. Personalized Learning
Another great reason to homeschool is personalized learning. I can customize each of my kids’ school experiences. My daughter who loves art makes something crafty to reinforce a science lesson. My son builds a playdough volcano and makes it erupt with baking soda and vinegar. We build Lego cars and talk about force, momentum, and friction. We explore topics further with YouTube videos or Magic School Bus episodes. I pair workbooks for math and language arts with hands-on activities for science and social studies. This approach makes school both purposeful and fun.
See our family’s favorite creative kids activities!
3. Choosing Your Own Curriculum
When I began homeschooling, I discovered so many resources to choose from. After some research, I settled on Abeka workbooks for my kids’ main subjects. It was an easy choice, since I used the Abeka curriculum as a child myself. These books cover the basics for each grade level using the spiral learning method, which introduces new concepts alongside lots of review. My kids have used Abeka for math, language arts, spelling, and handwriting for years. When they got older, I switched to using Math-U-See workbooks and instructive videos for math. I feel confident that each workbook covers what they need for their grade level. Being able to choose the right curriculum for your family is one of the best reasons to homeschool. See my tips for teaching a child at home.
4. Intentional Friendships
Teaching my kids to pursue intentional friendships has been another great benefit of homeschooling. Before they can make a friend, kids need to learn how to be a friend. Homeschooling helps my kids build strong friendships with each other. We talk often about how to encourage others, how to problem solve, and how to be kind. It is a privilege to see my kids grow in character.
I have also hosted after-school activities with other homeschool families to help my kids make friends. I have taught kids art classes and planned hands-on craft days. We often join homeschool skate day at our local roller rink too. Getting together with other homeschool families is a great way for kids to build friendships. It is a common myth that homeschooled kids miss out on socializing, but there are so many ways to connect.
5. Purposeful Parenting
This reason is possibly the most important to me. I homeschool to purposefully invest in my kids’ lives. I have had many experiences of my own. I have a business degree, I worked as a web designer in the Seattle tech industry, and I helped my husband launch and run a kids product business for seven years. I have traveled to many countries and taught myself photography and videography. I credit much of this to having been homeschooled myself. Early on, I learned to be a self-starter, work hard, and persevere. Those principles have helped me all through life.
Now as a mom, I want to help my kids build their own foundations for success. I am thankful God has given me the ability to homeschool. I plan our family life one year at a time, and homeschooling has worked well for us. We learn the core subjects, but we also study the Bible, memorize verses, do creative projects, take field trips, travel, and serve our community.
6. Hands-On Educational Experiences
Last but not least, homeschooling is just plain fun! Once our core subjects are done each day, we dive into creative activities. My kids love mixing slime, making homemade playdough, and going on nature hunts. One year we studied how fossils form, then visited our local flora fossil dig in Clarkia, Idaho.
We also took our kids on a 3-month RV trip to Arizona. We hiked, visited nature centers, and learned about desert plants and animals. We camped in more than 20 Arizona state parks and desert spots. It was a wonderful exercise in homeschooling on the road and exploring somewhere new.
International Travel & Worldschooling
International travel has become one of our favorite ways to learn together. We have explored castles in the UK, medieval villages in France, and Mayan ruins in Mexico. Our kids have learned to order food in another language and navigate a new city with confidence. They have seen the Rosetta Stone and Stonehenge in person after reading about these highlights in their history books. Travel teaches kids flexibility, resilience, and resourcefulness in a way no workbook can. Homeschooling gives us the freedom to turn the whole world into our classroom.
Homeschooling is a great way to teach kids in vivid, memorable ways. As our kids grow, I look forward to science fairs, teaching them about entrepreneurship, and helping each one develop their talents. Because we homeschool, our kids are close friends who support each other while learning real life skills. For me, homeschooling takes commitment and organization, and those qualities help me grow too.
Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family?
Every family is different, and there are many good reasons to homeschool kids. For us, the flexibility, personalized learning, and shared adventures have made it so worthwhile. If you are considering homeschooling, I encourage you to research your options and find what fits your family. It has been one of the best decisions we have made. What is your top reason for wanting to homeschool?
Find more encouragement on our homeschool page!
Hi, I’m Katie! I’m a homeschool mom who’s traveling the world with my husband and 4 kids. We raised our family in North Idaho and currently live in Mérida, Mexico. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I hope you enjoy our creative ideas and family adventures!
